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- 1Recall and identify examples of forces and motion from everyday life in Ghana. This objective is essential because learners must connect their real-world experiences with the scientific concept of unbalanced forces before understanding the abstract principle
- 2Activity 1 — Brain Activation: Push and Resist Game. Divide the class into pairs. Ask one learner to gently push a desk with their partner resisting from the opposite side. Stop after 10 seconds. Ask the class: 'What did you observe? Did the desk move? Why or why not?' Listen for responses about equal pushing. Use a Ghanaian example: 'When two trotro drivers push their vehicles at Makola Market with equal strength from opposite sides, what happens to the trotro?' Guide learners to understand that equal forces on both sides mean no movement. Write 'BALANCED FORCES = NO MOVEMENT' on the board
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- UNDERSTANDING BALANCED AND UNBALANCED FORCES THROUGH PRACTICAL OBSERVATION
- 1Main Activity — Demonstration of Balanced vs Unbalanced Forces Using a Textbook and Learners' Exercise Books. Place a closed textbook flat on a desk at the front of the class. Explain: 'This textbook represents our object. A force is a push or pull. When forces are BALANCED, they are equal in size and opposite in direction—like two children of equal strength pulling a rope in opposite directions.' Demonstrate by asking two learners of roughly similar strength to pull the textbook from opposite ends with equal force. The textbook should not move. Ask the class: 'Did the textbook move? Why not?' (Expected answer: The forces are equal, so they cancel out.) Now ask a third learner to join one side and pull harder. Repeat the pull. Ask: 'Now what happened? Did the textbook move?' (Expected answer: Yes, because the forces are no longer equal—one side is stronger.) Write on the board: 'UNBALANCED FORCES = MOVEMENT.' Have learners draw and label this demonstration in their exercise books using two simple diagrams: one showing two equal arrows (balanced) and one showing two unequal arrows (unbalanced). Teacher prompt: 'Draw one diagram where both arrows are the same size and one where the arrows are different sizes. The bigger arrow wins, so the object moves that way.'
- 2Sub-Activity 1 — Identifying Forces in a Ghanaian Market Scenario. Describe this scenario aloud using the Chart/Diagram provided in the Textbook: 'Kofi and Abena are at Kejetia Market in Kumasi. They are pulling a cart loaded with cloth to display at their stall. Kofi pulls with a force of 40 units to the right. Abena pulls with a force of 30 units to the right. The cart is moving to the right.' Ask: 'Are the forces balanced or unbalanced? How do you know? What would happen if Abena stopped pulling?' Have learners write their answers in their exercise books in full sentences. Accept responses such as: 'The forces are unbalanced because both forces are in the same direction, so they add up (40 + 30 = 70 units to the right). If Abena stopped, the cart would still move, but more slowly because only Kofi's 40 units of force would push it.' Reinforce: 'When all forces on an object point the same way, they are still unbalanced—they do not cancel out. The object WILL move in that direction.'
- 3Sub-Activity 2 — Predicting Motion Using Force Diagrams. Display three simple force diagrams on the board using arrows of different lengths. Example 1: Two arrows of equal length pointing left and right (balanced). Example 2: One arrow pointing right (10 cm) and one pointing left (5 cm) (unbalanced). Example 3: Two arrows pointing right, one longer than the other (unbalanced, same direction). For each diagram, ask learners to predict: 'Will the object move? If yes, in which direction?' Have learners raise their hands or whisper their answer to a partner before you confirm. Model the correct thinking aloud: 'In Diagram 1, the forces are balanced—10 units left and 10 units right—so no movement. In Diagram 2, we have 10 units to the right and 5 units to the left, so the NET force is 5 units to the right—the object WILL move right. In Diagram 3, both forces go right (15 and 10), so the object moves right with a total force of 25 units.' This builds learners' ability to UNDERSTAND and APPLY the concept of unbalanced forces
- 4DIFFERENTIATION: Struggling learners—provide pre-drawn diagrams with the answers filled in for the first two examples. Have them copy and label only. Average learners—complete all three diagrams as described. Fast finishers—create their own force diagram using a Ghanaian scenario (e.g., pushing a car, pulling a fishing net, pushing a wheelbarrow of firewood) and predict the motion. Have them draw it on the board and explain their reasoning to the class using the words 'balanced' and 'unbalanced.'
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- 1Textbook (Forces and Motion chapter)
- 2Chart/Diagram showing balanced and unbalanced force examples
- 3Exercise books
- 4Board and chalk/marker
- 5Desk (for demonstration)
- 6Arrow cards or drawn diagrams (prepared by teacher beforehand)
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- 1Plenary Activity 1 — Consolidation through Choral Repetition and Visual Recap. Write the two key statements on the board: 'BALANCED FORCES = NO MOVEMENT' and 'UNBALANCED FORCES = MOVEMENT.' Point to each statement and ask the whole class to repeat it chorally three times with emphasis. Then ask: 'Show me with your hands: if I push you with equal force from both sides, do you move?' (Learners should show no movement with their hands—palms out, still.) 'Now, if I push you harder from one side, what happens?' (Learners lean or mime falling in one direction.) This kinesthetic review reinforces the concept before the written exercise
- 2Plenary Activity 2 — Think-Pair-Share on Real-World Applications. Pose this question: 'When you push a kayayei's head-load (bundle of goods) at Madina Market, or when you and your friend push a car that has broken down, you both push in the same direction. Is this balanced or unbalanced? What happens?' Give learners 30 seconds to think silently. Then ask them to turn to their partner and share their answer. Circulate and listen for correct explanations. Call on one pair to share their answer with the whole class. Confirm: 'Yes! When two people push in the same direction, the forces add up—they are UNBALANCED in that direction, so the object moves.' This bridges the lesson back to Ghana's daily life and prepares them for tomorrow's extension lesson on Newton's first law
Exercise
- 1Written Exercise — Assess Understanding of Unbalanced Forces. Ask learners to answer in their exercise books: 'Ama is playing tug-of-war with Kwesi. Ama pulls the rope with a force of 50 units. Kwesi pulls with a force of 40 units in the opposite direction. (a) Are the forces balanced or unbalanced? (b) Which way will the rope move? (c) Explain your answer using the words FORCE and DIRECTION.' Model Answer Hint: '(a) Unbalanced, because 50 ≠ 40. (b) Towards Ama (the stronger puller). (c) The rope will move towards Ama because her force (50 units) is greater than Kwesi's force (40 units). Since the forces are not equal, the rope is pulled in the direction of the stronger force.' This directly assesses the Phase 1 objective: learners must identify and explain that unbalanced forces cause motion
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- 1Ask learners to recall one idea from the previous Science lesson and share it with a partner.
- 2Write two short starter questions on the board about State and explain Newton’s First Law of motion. and let pairs discuss before answers are shared.
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- FORCES AND ENERGY / FORCE AND MOTION
- 1Use Textbook to model Lesson 1 on State and explain Newton’s First Law of motion. with one clear Ghanaian example on the board
- 2Let learners work in pairs or small groups to practise State and explain Newton’s First Law of motion. in their exercise books while the teacher moves round to support
- 3Invite selected pairs or groups to present briefly and allow classmates to add one correction or one extra point. Use Textbook during the task.
- 4Use inclusive support and differentiated prompts for mixed ability learners.
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- 1Textbook
- 2Chart/diagram
- 3Exercise book
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- 1Ask learners to state the main idea learnt today and record two key points on the board.
- 2Learners tell a partner one thing they understood well and one part they need more help with.
Exercise
- 1Learners answer one written question on State and explain Newton’s First Law of motion. in their exercise books before the lesson ends.
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